


Cans of Carrots in the Night

by voleuse



Category: Battlestar Galactica
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-05
Updated: 2010-05-05
Packaged: 2017-10-09 21:17:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/91714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voleuse/pseuds/voleuse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>Happiness saved its most extreme form for you alone</em>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cans of Carrots in the Night

**Author's Note:**

> Pre-series. Title and summary adapted from Jane Kenyon's _Happiness_.

The thing was, Kara explained, that Zak was lousy at cards, while Lee was lousy at dancing. Or so he claimed, anyway, when she first attempted to drag one or the other of them away from yet another boring discussion of Caprican politics, like she gave a damn about yet another supposed former Graystone supporter trying to bring AI back into the military. As long as the birds flew under her fingertips, she'd be happy.

"So," she said, draping herself over the sofa, all dressed up and nowhere to go, "you're both going out with me tonight. I will kick ass playing Triad--"

"And I'll stand behind you, looking pretty," Zak volunteered.

"--and we'll drink my winnings and dance," she concluded.

Lee laughed. "And I'll stand by the bar and hold your purse."

"Come on, Lee," Kara replied, sitting up, crossing her legs with a grin. "Like that's not what you do _every_ night of the week."

Then Lee tossed a newspaper at her, and she batted it away. Zak rolled his eyes and bent to kiss her, and she let him pull her up, into his arms. She finally broke away, laughing, and ruffled her hands through Zak's hair. "I don't know why you boys bother to argue with me," she said. She strode past him, swinging around the banister as she swept up the stairs.

"Beats me," Zak said, and when Lee snickered, Zak thwacked him on the shoulder. "Like you're any better."

"Guilty," Lee confessed, and then Kara was strutting out the door.

*

The club was dark, but lights flashed from the corners, like fragments of police lights in green and purple and blue. Kara tipped a bottle of the-third-most-expensive-you've-got against her lips, the dregs of it sweet and warm.

Zak laughed as she licked the rim of the bottle, though she only knew by the flash of his teeth as they danced. She shook the bottle at him, and he fended off the last drops, hands raised.

"More," she shouted to him, and he tipped his head toward the bar. He wended his way through the crowd, and Kara caught his hand as he reached back to her. She held the bottle up in her other hand, her arm raised as she twisted, danced her way around strangers, hands slipping against the small of her back as she twirled.

Lee was right where they'd left him, leaning against the bar with skepticism on his face. He wasn't holding a purse--as if Kara ever carried one--but there was an array of bottles in front of him, empty, half-empty, and full, beaded and chilly. There was also a sleek little blonde thing next to him, and Kara slung her arm around Lee's shoulders even as Zak lifted a bottle from the line-up.

"You have horrible taste in beer," Zak announced. "I hope you know that."

"It's not my money I'm spending," Lee shrugged, and Kara bumped his head with hers, twice. "Ow," he said, after a moment, and then Kara grinned at the sleek little blonde thing until she blushed.

"Lee is ever so good at other things," Kara said, leaning forward. "You wouldn't regret it, I swear."

"Kara!" Lee sputtered, while Zak barked laughter behind him. Kara kissed Lee on the cheek, a quick smack, then grabbed one of the half-empties. She whirled back onto the dance floor, and Zak wrapped his arms around her waist, and she sang.

*

Morning was edging into existence as they left the club. Zak stumbled a bit, so she looped her arm around him, and he hugged her. She squeezed closer, craving warmth, and he dropped a kiss against her forehead. Beside them, Lee hummed some song she couldn't name, and he tossed a bottle into a trash bin as they passed it.

Kara darted a glance at him, then at Zak. "Is that a good sign?" she wondered, sweet as needles.

Zak looked at his brother, a gaze returned evenly. Then he laughed. "She gave you her number," he deduced.

"I'd never tell," Lee said, only slightly slurred. His collar was askew, and Kara reached out, tugged it aside to reveal a hickey.

"Lee Adama," she crowed, "did you--"

"_Never_," Lee repeated.

Zak aimed a glancing blow at his arm, and Kara caught Lee's hand as he half-staggered. She leaned her head against Zak's shoulder, and the sun rose as they walked home.


End file.
